Box-fastener



(No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheet 1.

B. S. ATWOOD.

BOX FASTENER.

No. 254,900. Patented Mar. 14,1882.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

B. s. ATWOODE BOX FASTBNER.

No. 254,900. v I Patented Mar. 14,1882

. Eli-$.61.

PATENT OFFICE,

BENJAMIN S: ATVVOOI), OF SOUTH ABINGTON STATION, MASSACHUSETTS,

BOX-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 254,900, dated March14, 1882.

Application filed August 4, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN S. ATWOOD, a citizen of the United States,residing at South Abington Station, in the county of Plymouth and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFastenin gs for Box-Covers and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersor figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and efficientfastening device for securing the covers of packing-boxes andshipping-cases in general.

The invention consists in a doublespring latch arranged on the underside of, the boxcover and projecting through a plate extending below thebottom edge of said cover, and furnished with a double-hooked platerising from the top edge of the box, adapted to receive the spring-latchwhen the cover isclosed for firmly retaining said latch. The ends of thespring-latch project beyond the catch-plate on the box, so that saidends can be pressed together by hand for permitting the cover to beraised, the projecting ends of the springlatch serving as a handle forraising the cover. In the drawings, Fignrel is aside elevation of thebox, showing the cover in a raised position. Fig. 2 is an elevationshowing the cover closed. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken throughthe fastening device and a portion of the cover and box, and Fig. 4 is adetail view of the catch-plate. r

The letter A denotes a packing-box or transportation-case, and B is thelid or cover thereof, which is generally hinged at one side ofthe box,and is secured at the other side "by a fastening device of theconstruction herein box receives said guide-plate D,and a space is leftbetween the latter and the edge of the cover for permitting acatch-plate, G, on the body of the boxv to enter said space when thecover is closed.

The catch-plate G extends above the upper edge of the box, and issecured to the inner side of the latter by screws or other devicespassing throughits attaching-arm g. Arightangled plate, H, havingitshorizontal portion seated in a notch cut in the top edge of the box, andits vertical portion secured to the front of the latter, extendsslightly beyond, the top edge of the box. and has a slotfor the passageof the arm g ofthe catch-plate. The object of the right-angled plate isto stay the catch-plate or impart to the same the necessary degree ofstrength or rigidity, so as to cause it to be always in position forentering the space between the edge of the cover and the guide-plate D.The catch-plate proper, or that portion which rests upon the horizontalarm of the plate H, is providedl with two books, I, and with anintermediate pointed projection, J, rising from the bottom of theopening left between said hooks. The books I face each other, so as toleave an opening between said books which is narrower at the bottom thanat the top. Hence it will be apparent that when thecoveris being closedthe two arms of the spring-latch enter between the two books, so as tocompress said latch, and as soon as the same has passed beyond thepoints of the hooks the elasticity of the springarms will expand thesame or throw them under the hooks, as is shown in Fig. 2.

The points or extremities of the spring-latch project through theguide-plate of the cover, and are enlarged or otherwise shaped, so as toform handles 0, which are used for compressing the spring-latch when thecover is to be raised, and as means for lifting the cover withoutreleasing the hold on the handle ends of the spring-catch. The handle orprojecting ends of the spring-latch do not extend beyond the side wallof the box, but terminate in the recess formed by cutting away the edgesof tapering mortise or socket in a cleat applied through the pendentplate, the box having a to the front of the box, so as to automaticallynotch in its upper edge, the double-hooked fasten the cover after theends of the springplateextendingabove the bottom of said notch latchhave passed through said mortise. on the inner side of the box, and thestay- 15 5 Havingthus described my invention, \vhatI plate, as and forthe purpose herein set forth.

claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature Patent, isi in presence of two witnesses.

The combination of the recessed or notched BENJAMIN S. A'IWOOD. cover,the pendent slotted plate projecting be- Witnesses: to low the same, thedouble-spring latch secured E. W. 001313,

to the under side of the cover and extending A. It. PRATT.

